Rating : 'Charulatha' - Neither scares nor entertains

Based
on Thai horror flick "Alone", Pon Kumaran's " Charulatha" is a poorly
executed film with no thrills. The film treads a cliched path with
disappointing CGI, loud and jarring background score and uninspiring
acting. Priyamani's final act is the only saving grace in the entire
film.

Charu and Latha, two identical conjoined twins by birth are
separated by a medical surgery. In the process, Latha doesn't make it
out alive. The shock of her sister's demise leaves Charu to live life
with a feeling of guilt deep inside.

Two years later, Charu is
summoned to her native place, to her house where she grew up with her
sister, to attend to her ailing mother. Charu feels the presence of an
unknown force in the house always watching her. It doesn't take her much
time to realise it's her dead sister Latha, on a mission to avenge her
death.

Original story by Banjong Pisanthanakun had the ability to
engage and captivate the viewer, but it's not the same in the case of
' Charulatha'. Pon Kumaran gives the story much needed masala touch to
suit the Indian audience, however, fails to neither scare nor entertain
viewers.

The film was inundated with too many sub-plots, which in
the entire running time never seem to have synced with the actual story
of the movie. As the story switched back and forth between past and
present, it was left to the audience to connect the dots in order to
understand the film. To add to the woes, the love track between Priya
and Skanda appeared contrived.

Barring the last few minutes,
Priya Mani, a National award winner falls way below expectations and
leaves everyone in utter disappointment. She can't be blamed entirely,
because it's the director who is to be blamed for etching such a weak
character.

Skanda barely has any part to play besides comforting his lady love from frequent visits from her dead sister.

The
unpredictable twist was commendable, but it wasn't handled well.
Direction by Pon Kumaran is best when spoken the least. In an attempt to
make the film appear scary, he struggles to make the audience connect
with the film.

Music by Sundar C. Babu is not something you look
forward to in the film. His attempt to scare everyone with the
background score only turns irksome.

" Charulatha" is proof to how a pathetic film can sabotage the ability of a talented actress.